Automobile spring suspension



Oct. 5 19256.

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J. E. CARROLL AUTOMOBILE SPRING SUSPENSION Filed June 13. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R m m I Oct. 5 1926. 1,601,939

* J. E. CARROLL AUTOMOBILE SPRING SUSPENSON Filedl June 15, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 17V' VEN T012 J. E. CARROLL l AUTOMOBILE SPRING SUSPENSION 1924 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed June 13.

.UV VINTOR i cn, arrall 1% bien 'r is JOHN E. CARROLL, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE SEEING SUSPENSION.

Application filed June 13,.

lily invention relates to new and useful improvements in an automobile spring suspension, and has for its primary object the location of suitable springs in the side members of a vehicle chassis which act on suit able levers connected with the front and rear running gears in order that shocks incident to travel of the wheels over a road bed will be absorbed by the springs.v

Another object of the invention is to conn struct the side members of an automobile chassis from tubular sections and to house a plurality of coiled springs in said tubular side members and in endwise alignment so as to be compressible when acted upon by levers connected with the. ruiming gear.

Another object of the invention is to provide intervening means between the several springs in order that the action of the levers on a spring will be transmitted to other springs and likewise the reaction will be absorbed by a number of springs.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for tying together the frame side members which structure comprises frame end trunnions mounted in the ends of the frame side members with swivel yolres journalled on the trunnions and connected with the tie rods thereby giving enormous flexibility to the frame.-

A still further object of the invention is to provide a number of levers fixed to the axles of a vehicle each lever having a horizontal arm approximately three times thel length. of its vertical arm, the end of the shorter arm freely working between opposed shoes slidably mounted Within the tubular side members of the frame, said shoes being normally forced in opposite directions by opposed spiral springs.

lVith these in view, this invention consists in the ldetails of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilledin the artto which this invention appertains, may understand how to make and use the same, l will describe its construction in detail, referring by `numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which Fig. l, is a plan view of an automobile chassis illustrating my improvement applied thereto.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation thereof with the 1924. Serial No. 719,713.

near side wheels removed and portions or the axles broken away.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged longitudinal ser.u tional side elevation of one of thc frame side members, looking at it from the inside of the chassis, and illustrating the connection between the internal elements and the levers.

Fig. fl, is a section at the line met of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5, is an end view thereof.

Fig. 6, is an enlarged plan` view of one ofthe levers.

" 7, is a side elevation of F ig.v

8, is a fragmentary sectional side elevation of one of the tie. rods and an associated swivel yoke.

p Fig. 9, is an end view of the swivel yolr Fig. l0, is a vertical sectional view of one of the cross shaft brackets.

Fig. ll, is an inner face view of the clamping member of such bracket.

Fig. l2, is a bottom edge View thereof.

Fig. 13, is an inner face View of the body portion of the bracket.

Fig. l-l, is a plan view of a vehicle chassis illustrating a slightly modified arrangement of the parts.

Fig. l5, is a side elevation-thereof with the near side wheels removed and portions of the axles broken away.

ln carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 represents the usual wheels of a vehicle, such as an automobile, suitably journalled on front and rear axles 3 and a respectively. It is to be understood that wherever axles are mentioned this term is to include the axles proper or their co1nponent parts including the dead front axle and the housings.

To the front and rear axles are fixed suitable levers 5 and 5 respectively and as shown in Figs. l and 2 these levers project toward each other, or in other words, the levers on the front axle project rearwardly and those on the rear axle project forwardly. Each lever comprises a short vertical arm 6 having an enlargement 7 at its upper free end to provide arcuate bearing surfaces 8 and a long horizontal arm 9 which is approximately three times the length of the short arm and at the inner end of this `long arm, or the juncture point of the two arms is a fulcrum bearing 10, while at the other or outer end of the longer arm is a flange 1l whereby the lever may be bolted to the flange l2 of of Ut the axle bracket 13 which latter is fixed .in any suitable manner, as by riveting, to its respective axle. The means for fastening a lever to an axle bracket as here shown comprises bolts 14 and nuts 15 but it will be understood that any equivalent fastening means may be substituted.

The reference numeral 16V represents the frame side members, of which there are generally two, ruiming lengthwise of the vehicle in parallel relation. These trame side members are ot tubular formation, Fig. 4, and in both ends ot each yside member is mounted a frame end trunnion 17 held in place bv set screws 13 passing through Vthe walls ot the side members and threaded into the tramel end trunnions. Each trame end trunnion comprises a body portion 19 adapted to snugly lit inside of the side member, a flange 20 to overlie the end or edge of the side member, a reduced wrist portion 21 and a further reduced threaded extension Each frame end trunnion also has a' threaded bore 'for the reception oi an adjusting screw 23. l

As above stated these trame end trunnions are mounted in both ends oiE a traine side member and the inner ends oi the adjusting screws 23 impinge against plate washers or discs 24, the latter engaging the Vouter ends of the endmost coiled springs 25 and 26. ot the vehicle while the spring 26 is the one at the rear. The opposite, or inner ends of the springs 25 and 26 engage spring shoes 27 slidably mounted within the tubular side members and each of these shoes has an arcuate bearing face or surface 28 tor coaction with the arcuate bea-ring surfaces 8 'of the levers and these shoes may have lugs 29 formed thereon ot less diameter than said shoes so as to fit within the springs.

Opposed to the shoes 27 and located ad-` jacent thereto are other shoes 27 of duplicate construction Yand also slidably mounted in the tubular side members for engagement with the short Varms of the levers on the sides opposite the shoes 27. These shoes 27 coact with the outer ends ot Vthe springs 30 and 31 while the inner ends of the last named springs engage the compensatingrblocks or plungers 32 which are slidably mount-ed in the tubular frame side members' in spaced relation to each other, since they are arranged in pairs, and connected by means of their threaded projections 33 with a reach member 34 preferably in the torni of a tube'. This reach member may be of any desirable length in order to span the distance between the compensating blocks 32. 1

At the points where the spring shoes 27, 27 meet or approach each other are formed slots 35 in each frame side member through which project the free ends of the short arms of the levers for interposition between ad- The spring 25 is the one at the front Leonesa jacent coacting spring shoes, said slots being of each slot 35 or in the locality oi' the nor- 'mal positions ot the spring shoes 27, 27 and'tlieret'ore they are directly opposite each other on opposite'trame side members, as plainly shown in Fig. 1. Each or" these brackets or hangers includes an integral semi-cylindrical body 40 to partially surround a iframe side member and Va semi-cylindrical clamp or clamping member 41 yadapted Vto partially surround the side member opposite sa the body '40 and be secured to the latter-by means ot bolts 42 and nuts 43 or their equivalent. The clamping member 41 has a notch 44'tormed in its lower edge for the passage of the short arm ot a lever and thisl notch is adapted to-register with a `slot 35 in the trame side memben ln order to tie the trame together'while permitting full flexibility thereto, l mount swivel yokes 45 on the wrist portions 21 of the several trame lend trunnions and Vthese swivel yokes include threaded stems 46 for threaded engagement with the tie rods 47 arranged transversely oit the vehicle frame and these tie rods arD preferably of tubular construction. rlhe swivel yokes are held in place on the traine end trunnions by nuts 48 screwed on the reduced threaded Yextensions 22 ofthe frame end trunnions.

From the foregoing description vit will Vbe noted that as a wheel, for example a front wheel, strikes an obstruction on the road bed over which the vehicle is traveling said wheel will be thrust upward causing the leversV 5 to operate so that the tree end of the short arm of thelever moves,rearwardly and compresses the spring 30 but instead of absorbing the entire shoclron Vthe one spring, the shock is passed on through said spring and the-compensati blocks with their connected reach member to the spring 31, thence through the spring shoes operating lin conjunction with the levers 5 to the spring 26 and therefore the three mentioned springs will be absorbing the shock incident to theV if wheel striking an obstruction.

To more fully illustrate the above point let us assume that the spring 30 moves forward three inches due to the shock on the wheel `which as soon as distributed among the several springs will produce a compression et' one. inch on each spring. New let us assume that the shock that caused a three inch compression ot the spring 30 was nine hundred pounds, that would indicate that llt) when each ot thethree lsprings mentioned has been compressed one inch the nine hundred pounds had been absorbed, which would be three hundred pounds to each spring and since the pressure ot nine hundred pounds is tir-st applied to one spring will be ob vious that the spring 30 has an advantage ot approximately three to one in regaining its normal attitude or position.

During the compression ot' the springs 30, Si and 26, the spring will expand in following up the movements of the parts so as to absorb the shock incident to the recoil action.

'llhe operation oithe parts when a shock is transmitted to the rear wheels is similar to that above described with the exception that the springs which absorb said shock will be those numbered 31, 30 and 25 while the spring 26 will take up the recoil.

Another action that aords advantages to the absorption or the shock is, that the shocl is absorbed in the direction ot travel et the vehicle. This advantage can only be calculated by assumingthat the vehicle is travel.- ing exactlyas tast as the springs are conn pressed and under such conditions there would be no apparent shock to the frame Ot' the vehicle.

Another point to be particularly noted is that the longer arms of the levers are three imes the length oit' the shorter arms and therefore the shock will be absorbed by the springs three times as fast as it can be trans- 'l mitted to the vehicle body.

ln Figs. 14 and 15, l have illustrated a slight modification ot my invention wherein the levers connected with the front axle project forwardly or in the same direction as the levers connected with the rear axle. The arrangement ot the springs and other elements is identical to the construction illustrated in connection with Figs. l and 2, but ot course the trame side members must be extended beyond the iront axle, In this torni of the invention a shock to a front wheel will be absorbed by the single spring 25 and the recoil will be taken care oi by the other three springs. This construction is very good for use on vehicles where the major portion ot the load is carried well to the rear of the vehicle or over the rea-r axle. The operation of the parts due to a shocl on the rear wheels is the same as that hereinbefore described.

@t course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ot construction as herein shov-:n as these may be varied within the limits oi" the appended claims without departing trom the spirit oi my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and useful is l. An automobile spring suspension comprising a trame, springs housed in said iframe, axles and Lshaped levers fulcrumed on portions ot the trame with one end oit each lever fixed to an axle and the other end oi each lever lying between adjacent springs.

2. t vehicle spring suspension including a tubular side member oil the trame, an xle, an Lehaped lever 'fulcrun'ied below the side inen'iber distance 'iii'onii the axle and having one end fixed to said axle with the opposite end projecting into the tubular trame member, and Y' springs within the tubular trame member on opposite sides ot the end the lever projecting into the Jname member.

3. rl`he structure set i'orth in claim 2 in connection with shoes interposed between the lever end and the springs.

Ll. An automobile spring suspension comn prising a iframe including parallel tubular side members, a pair or axles, hangers connected with the side members, l..shaped levers fulcrumed end of each fixed to an axle and the other end olf each projecting into a side member, a plurality' of springs located in each side member so that their action is always in the on said hangers with one l direction of trav-el otl the automobile, said i?" springs being so located that one` of them is on each side of the end of' the lever projectinto a side member for coaction therewith, and means interposed between the two innermost springs in a side ymember whereby 55' motion may betransmitted from one to the other.

5. The construction set forth in claim 4 in connection with shoes slidably mounted in the side members and interposed between the ends of the springs and the associated lever ends.

6. A spring suspension for vehicles including axles, tubular iframe side members, means for flexibly tying said side members together, hangers carried the side members, L-shaped levers having horizontal and vertical arms fulcrumed on the hangers, the horizontal arms being approximately three times the length of the vertical arms, said horizontal arms being fixed at their inner ends to the axles while the vertical arms project into the tubular sidemembers, and means within said side members and on both sides of the vertical arms to produce spring action. on the latter. I'

7. A spring suspension for vehicles including axles, tubular frame side members, means for flexibly tying said side members together, hangers carried by the side members, L-shaped levers having horizontal and vertical arms tulcrumed on the hangers, the horizontal arms being` approximately three times the length of the vertical arms, said horizontal arms being fixed at their inner ends to the axles while the vertical arms project into the tubular side members, shoes slidably mounted in the side members on opposite sides of the vertical lever arms and coacting therewith, coil springs within the llO side members on both sides of each vertical ,lever arm and coacting with the shoes, and

vmeans interposed between the springs asso .levers further being journalled on the cross shafts and having their vertical arms projecting into the side members of the `trame, and springs'withiii the side members and arranged tor coaction with opposite sides of each vertical lever arm, the action of said sorings being in the direction of travel of the vehicle. i

9. The structure set forth in claim 8 inV connection with frame end trunnions mounted in the ends of the side members,screws `threaded through said trunnions, plates,-

washers interposed between the inner ends of said screws and the outer ends of certain of the sprlngs, shoes slidably mounted 1n the side members and interposed between the vertical lever arms and adjacent ends of the l0. A spring suspension comprising axles,

a frame including tubular side members,

hangers carried bythe side meinbers,rcross sha'tts mounted in the hangers, a pair ot levers each including a vertical arm and a horizontal arm, said levers beinglined at the ends of their horizontal arms to the axles in pairs and projecting `forwardly,A said levers further'being journalled on the. cross shafts and having` theirvertical arms projecting into the side members of the frame, and springs within the side'members and arranged for coaction with opposite sides of each vertical lever arm, the action of said springs being in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

lln testimony whereof, I have hereunto aiiixed my signature.

JOHN n. cannons. 

